Lock assembly



1965 c. G. HALLGREN 3,212,307

LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed July 16, 1965 fidnorw 101a; ff ll rezz .52, w) KW United States Patent 3,212,307 LOCK ASSEMBLY Charles G. Hallgren, Rockford, IlL, assignor to National Lock Co., Rockford, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed .luly 16, 1963, Ser. No. 295,344 3 Claims. (Cl. 70-364) The present invention relates to a novel lock assembly and more particularly to a lock assembly which is mounted in a door or a cabinet or other enclosure and having a rotatable bolt which rotates into and out of engagement with a suitable strike member upon actuation of the lock.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel lock assembly which has a lock plug actuated by a key with a 90 throw with the key being removable in either the locked or unlocked position. The plug is directly connected to a bolt which is designed to cooperate with a suitable strike member to lock a door in a cabinet or the like.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a lock assembly where the plug can be rotated from an unlocked to a locked position without the use of a key. The interior of the cylinder contains equally spaced longitudinal grooves separated by relatively wide ribs or projections having shoulders which cooperate with the lock tumblers to prevent rotation of the plug when the key is withdrawn. One of the ribs has a camming surface eliminating a shoulder defining one groove and leading from the one groove surface to the shoulder at the next adjacent groove. The tumblers ride on the camming surface until they are projected into the next groove to allow rotation of the plug in one direction without the key being inserted into the plug.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a lock assembly having means on the plug cooperating with the cylinder to limit rotation of the plug relative to the cylinder. This limiting means includes a projection on the periphery of the plug adjacent the shoulder limiting insertion of the plug into the cylinder; said projection cooperating with the circumferentially spaced ribs on the interior surface of the cylinder. One of the ribs is cut away to allow movement of the projection between two alternate ribs to provide a 90 throw for the plug and attached bolt. In other versions of this lock this throw of the plug may be varied for other operation as follows: 90 clockwise or 90 counterclockwise and 180 clockwise or 180 counterclockwise.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a knurled exposed end portion or knob on the plug which may be grasped by the operator to rotate the plug from its unlocked position to its locked position without use of a key.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the lock assembly in its locked position.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the lock assembly of FIG. 1 with the bolt removed.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the locking plug carrying the lock tumblers.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the plug shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the cylinder of the lock assembly with the plug removed.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of the lock cylinder taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5 viewed in the direction of the arrows.

3,212,307 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 ice FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses a lock assembly 10 having a cylinder 11, a plug 12 containing lock tumblers and a bolt 13 adapted to cooperate with a suitable strike member (not shown). A suitable key 14 is inserted in a slot 15 in the plug 12 to actuate the plug and rotate the bolt between its unlocked and locked positions.

The cylinder 11 has a generally cylindrical body 16 with a peripheral flange 17 at one end to provide a shoulder 18 limiting longitudinal movement of the cylinder in a door or other mounting member. Opposed flat surfaces 19 formed on the cylinder body are utilized with a complementary irregular opening in a mounting member to prevent rotation of the body 16 when it is operatively positioned in said mounting member. A cylindrical opening 21 extends longitudinally through the body and the opening is counterbored at 22 to aid in positioning the plug therein.

A plurality of circumferentially equally spaced grooves 23, 23 23 and 23 are formed in the opening 21 and extend longitudinally for approximately three-quarters of the length of the body 16, although the grooves may extend completely through the body. Inwardly extending relatively wide ribs or projections 24, 24 and 24 are formed by the grooves 23, 23 23 and 23 and have shoulders 25 which cooperate with the tumbler lock in the plug 12 for allowing or preventing rotation of the plug.

A camming surface 26 extends from the groove 23 to the shoulder 25 at the next adjacent groove 23*, the camming surface 26 eliminating the shoulder 25 which would define the groove 23 and its adjacent rib. This camming surface 26 cooperates with the lock tumblers for a purpose to be later described.

The plug 12 includes a cylindrical body 27 which conformably fits within the opening 21 to rotate relative to the cylinder 11, and this plug is provided at its outer end with an enlarger head or knob 28 forming a shoulder 29 which cooperates with the shoulder formed by the counterbore 22 to limit longitudinal movement of the plug 12 in the cylinder 11. The knob or head 28 is knurled as at 31 for substantially its entire peripheral surface with the knurled portion extending outwardly from the flange 17 of the body 16. The slot 15 for the key 14 extends completely across or through the enlarged head 28 and tapers or narrows inwardly adjacent the shoulder 29 to suitable dimensions for the key portion containing the bittings; the narrowed slot extending to adjacent the reduced end 32 of the plug. This end 32 of the plug 12 is shown as of generally square or polygonal shape.

Slots 33 extend laterally through the plug body 27 to accommodate tumbler plates 34 which have central openings 35 to receive the key 14. Each slot 33 has an enlarged cylindrical hole 36 for a tumbler spring 37 normally urging the projection 38 on each of the tumblers 34 to cause the tumblers to project from their slots 33 on one side of the plug body. The holes are formed on alternate sides of adjacent slots 33. A short projection 39 extends from the shoulder 29 and cooperates with the ribs on the interior of the cylinder 11 to limit rotation of the plug 12. Rib 24, which is removed from the camming surface 26, is cut away adjacent the counterbore 22 a sufficient distance to permit movement of the projection 39 thereby. Rotation is limited by the shoulders 45 on the rib 24 and the camming portion 26 facing the cutaway portion 40 of the rib 24.

The reduced end 32 of the plug body 27 has an internally threaded opening 41 adapted to receive a screw 42. The bolt 13 includes a generally square opening adapted to receive the reduced end 32 and the enlarged head 43 on the screw 42 retains the bolt 13 on the end 32 of the plug extending beyond the cylindrical body 16 to rotate therewith. The bolt 13 is shown with a stepped portion 44, optional to suit application, to provide ease of positioning the bolt with a strike member (not shown). The bolt can be used in conjunction with a strike member having a camming surface engaging the face of the bolt or a slot or groove receiving the free end of the bolt.

In operation, the projection 39 on the plug limits the throw to approximately 90 and in the end positions the ends of the tumbler plates 34 are aligned with the slot 23 or 23. Although a 90 rotation in a clockwise direction is shown, the 90 throw may be in a counterclockwise direction or a 180 rotation may -be utilized in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The key 14 may be removed from the plug 12 in either locked or unlocked position and, when inserted, the key draws the tumbler plates 34 into the plug body 27 to allow rotation of the plug relative to the cylinder 11. However, if the key is removed with the plug and bolt 13 in their unlocked position, the ends of the tumbler plates are projecting into the groove 23. With the key removed, the operator can grasp the exposed knurled portion 31 of the plug 12 and rotate the plug in a clockwise direction with the tumbler plates 34 engaging the camming surface 26 which urges the tumbler plates into their respective slots 33 against the force of the tumbler springs 37. Rotation of the plug is allowed to continue until the tumbler plates 34 reach and drop ofi the shoulder 25 on the camming surface 26 into the groove 23 with the bolt in its locked position. Rotation of the plug 12 in a counterclockwise direction cannot be accomplished without the insertion of the proper key 14 to withdraw the tumbler plates from the groove 23 into the plug body 27.

To install the lock assembly in a door or enclosure adjacent a door, an opening is formed in the mounting member having flattened sides complementary to the opposed flat surfaces 19 of the cylinder 11 so that the cylinder cannot rotate relative to its mounting member. Then, after the cylinder is inserted in the opening, a suitable securing member is mounted on the cylinder 11 at the interior of the mounting member to prevent removal of the lock assembly. The securing member can be an internally threaded ring 46 engaging external threads on the cylinder body 16 as shown, or a mounting clip which engages a generally annular or broached groove formed on the exterior of the cylinder body 16 adjacent the flange 17 but spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the mounting member.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A lock assembly comprising a lock cylinder and a lock plug extending through and rotatable relative to the cylinder, a laterally extending bolt mounted on the rear end of the plug and rotatable therewith, said cylinder having a longitudinally extending opening accommodating said plug and longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced grooves on the interior surface of said cylinder, inwardly extending ribs formed between the longitudinal grooves, tumbler plates in said plug adapted to extend into and cooperate with one of the grooves to prevent rotation of the plug without the proper key, a camming surface extending between two adjacent grooves, said tumbler plates engaging said camming surface to allow rotation of said plug in one direction without the use of a key, and a projection on the plug cooperating with said inwardly extending ribs to limit the throw of said plug, the rib adjacent said camming surface being cut away adjacent the face of the cylinder to allow movement of the projection thereby.

2. A lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said plug has a knob extending beyond the end of the cylinder with a knurled surface which is grasped by the operator to rotate the plug from unlocked to locked position without the use of a key.

3. A lock assembly comprising a lock cylinder having a central opening therethrough, a plug conformably received in said cylinder and having a keyway therein, said plug having a knurled knob at one end and extending beyond the end of the cylinder and a reduced portion at the opposite end, a bolt secured to and rotatable with the reduced portion of said plug, tumbler means in said plug positioned in conjunction with said keyway and normally biased to extend beyond the periphery of said plug, said cylinder having longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced grooves on the interior surface thereof with each groove adapted to receive the projecting ends of the tumbler means, a camming surface extending between two adjacent grooves, said tumbler means engaging said camming surface to allow rotation of the plug in one direction without the use of a key by manual rotation of said knurled knob, and means on said plug cooperating with limiting means on said cylinder to limit the arc of rotation of said plug.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,788,834 1/31 Hurd 340 1,835,304 12/31 Jacobi 70364 2,036,764 4/36 Lorve 70-469 2,139,842 12/38 Miller 70364 2,182,307 12/39 Behnke 7080 2,580,882 1/52 Blohm 70-340 ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner. 

3. A LOCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A LOCK CYLINDER HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING THERETHROUGH, A PLUG CONFORMABLY RECEIVED IN SAID CYLINDER AND HAVING A KEYWAY THEREIN, SAID PLUG HAVING A KNURLED KNOB AT ONE END AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE END OF THE CYLINDER AND REDUCED PORTION AT THE OPPOSITE END, A BOLT SECURED TO AND ROTATABLE WITH THE REDUCED PORTION OF SAID PLUG, TUMBLER MEANS IN SAID PLUG POSITIONED IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID KEYWAY AND NORMALLY BIASED TO EXTEND BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLUG, SAID CYLINDER HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED GROOVES ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE THEREOF WITH EACH GROOVE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE PROJECTING ENDS OF THE TUMBLER MEANS, A CAMMING SURFACE EXTENDING BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT GROOVES, SAID TUMBLER MEANS ENGAGING SAID CAMMING SURFACE TO ALLOW ROTATION OF THE PLUG IN ONE DIRECTION WITHOUT THE USE OF A KEY BY MANUAL ROTATION OF SID KNURLED KNOB, AND MEANS ON SAID PLUG COOPERATING WITH LIMITING MEANS ON SAID CYLINDER TO LIMIT THE ARC OF ROTATION OF SID PLUG. 